WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1981
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+WELL OVER 2 000 HUTS ARE DEMOLISHED EACH MONTH BY THESE TEAMS.
+ IN ADDITION TO REGULAR PATROLLING AND DEMOLITION, THE POLICE FORCE, WORKING TOGETHER WITH HOUSING DEPARTMENT STAFF, WILL CONTINUE TO ARREST AND PROSECUTE PEOPLE FOUND BUILDING HUTS.
+ IN THE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR, NEARLY 1 400 PEOPLE WERE CHARGED, MANY SUBSTANTIAL FINES WERE IMPOSED, AND OVER 70 WERE SENTENCED TO TERMS OF IMPRISONMENT FOR SUCH OFFENCES, HE SAID.
MR LIAO ADDED THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SQUATTER CONTROL THROUGHOUT THE NEW TERRITORIES WOULD ALSO PASS TO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT LATER THIS YEAR.
POLICY ON PATIENT TRANSFERS WORKS WELL
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THE POLICY OF TRANSFERRING PATIENTS BETWEEN HOSPITALS IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRINCIPLE OF REGIONALISATION OF MEDICAL SERVICES AND HAS WORKED WELL IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS SINCE THE REGIONAL ISATION SCHEME WAS FIRST INTRODUCED.
THIS WAS STATED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY BY THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR THE HON K.L. THONG WHO ALSO SAID THE POLICY HAD CONTRIBUTED MUCH TO THE OBJECTIVE OF BETTER AND MORE OPTIMUM USE OF THE HOSPITAL FACILITIES TO THE BENEFITS OF ALL CONCERNED,
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LYDIA DUNN, DR THONG SAID THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF DOCTORS AND NURSING STAFF LOOKING AFTER TRANSFERRED PATIENTS WERE CLEARLY DEFINED. +THUS, EVEN AFTER A TRANSFER, THE PATIENT CONTINUES TO BE TAKEN CARE OF, UNDER WELL ESTABLISHED ARRANGEMENTS MADE BETWEEN THE ATTENDING PHYSICIANS AND THE NURSING STAFF, HE ADDED.
DR THONG DISCLOSED THAT THE STAFF ING IN RESPECT OF NURSES IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS WAS GOVERNED BY A GENERAL APPROVED NURSE AND BED RATIO AS RECOMMENDED BY THE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHICH REVIEWED IT REGULARLY ON AN ANNUAL BAS IS.
BUT IN ACTUAL PRACTICE, HE SAID, THIS RATIO MIGHT ALSO BE VAR IED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE NURSING OFFICER IN-CHARGE DEPENDING ON FACTORS SUCH AS THE CONDITION OF THE PATIENTS IN THE WARDS, TYPES OF CASES AND THE TURNOVER RATE ETC.
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